The letter expressed anger that the Sungei Road flea market would not be relocated when it would be forced to close by 11 July. It was signed off under the name of the chairman of the Sungei Road flea market’s association.

According to the news reported on 29 April, Koh Eng Khoon the chairman of the Sungei Road flea market’s association said that two plain-clothed police officers raided his home at midnight on Thursday, 27 April.
He said that he was not aware of such happening prior to the police raided his home.
The police took photos, searched his things and opened his cupboards. It took about an hour.
They asked if he knew how to write in English but he didn't. He didn't even know about the existence of such a letter. He couldn't understand who would want to sabotage him and use his name.
Mr. Koh said that the police told him that the letter was signed off as "Eng Khoon Koh". But his name in his Identity Card is "Koh Eng Khoon"

Mr. Koh had started a petition in late February urging the authorities to allocate an alternative or temporary site to the market.
He said that they only asked for this place. That’s not much. There was no point to send a threatening letter.
Mr. Koh told his friend about the police raiding his home in the morning on Friday, 28 April. His friend advised him to lodge a report with the police. He then went to Paya Lebar Police Station at 12.40 to lodge a report.

I wondered why the police raid people's home at midnight!
Are the police very busy and only be free at midnight?
They come to catch the criminal, or do the investigation? Why alarm the neighbours?

The incident made me recall the days 25 years ago. I was working with the Thai Good News Centre in Golden Mile Complex from 1989 to 1992.

During those days I helped the Thai people who worked or stayed in Singapore. Sometimes I had to deal with the Thai Embassy, police and hospitals.
Once I was in the Central Police Station at Pearl Hill. I was glad that the police showed their care and concern.
A police officer asked, "Why are you working there? It was the most dangerous area."
As the Thai people usually gathered around in Golden Mile, we had to be there so that we were able to give a helping hand to them.
The police were aware that there was at least a case of death every week.
Although I was with the darkest and most dangerous place, I did not feel that it was unsafe for me.

In those days, we opened everyday except Monday. Soon after I opened the office at 10 a.m., a few policemen from the neighbourhood police post would come. They would sit for a while and made sure things were going well. Then they continued with their patrolling duty.

One Sunday afternoon, a handsome young policeman would come. He would put on a Batik shirt as me and accompanied me to go to the nearby park. We would meet and talk to the Thai workers.

During those days, there were a few shops at the ground floor equipped with alarm system. When there was any emergency case, the police would be alert automatically. The handsome young policeman gave me his pager number. That was for me to page him whenever necessary.

The police gave me different impressions 25 years ago and nowadays.